


There's Only One Braincell, We Have to Share

by Antievil, FlawedVictori



Series: Trips Cinematic Universe [4]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Dumbest WLW, F/F, Found Family, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Lesbian, Useless Lesbians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-09-26 23:33:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20397979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antievil/pseuds/Antievil, https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlawedVictori/pseuds/FlawedVictori
Summary: Vel is an idiot titan who wants the people she cares about to be okay.Key is a warlock who spends too much of her time in a lab until she meets the muscular, tattoo covered woman with a heart of gold.It would be a lot easier to fall in love if Vel understood anything about romance.*COUGH COUGH THEY GAY COUGH COUGH DIES*





	1. Lightning Yearns for Thunder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tori kickin it all off.

The Stray’s Stay was probably Vel’s favorite place in the city.

And why wouldn’t it be? All her friends liked to hang out there, her favorite pooch Trips was always around, and she could hang out with everyone without worrying about bullets flying around.  
  
Well, unless Vlana got really mad, anyway, but unless Beatrice was around that probably wasn’t gonna happen.

_‘Actually_,’ she thinks as she walks through the front door, ‘_the bar’s really quiet today. Where is everybody?’_

The only people around were Vlana and Elise, who’d taken a corner table and were whispering to each other about something, Tarow, who was sitting behind the bar and shining a glass, and…

Virtue, sitting with Key and nodding at her as she starts to head over.

Key turns to look and her face goes a darker shade of blue, but Vel just ignores it.

If Virtue had been telling Key embarrassing enough stories that she was blushing, well… that sucked but she’d get over it.

“Kid.” Virtue says, nodding.

“Dinosaur.” Vel replies, nodding back, and Virtue just rolls her eyes.

“Hey, Vel.” Key says, staring down at the table as the extra blue starts to fade. “What, uh… what’s up? How’re you?”

“Pretty good. Went on a couple strikes this morning. You?”  
  
“Oh, you know.” Key says, laughing that weirdly high-pitched laugh she always did, “Just, just back in the lab! Research, research, research, all the time.”  
  
“Yeah.” Virtue adds in that rumbly voice of hers as she leans back in her chair, grinning. “Heard you’ve been needing a big, strong lab assistant. How bout you, kid? Finally put those arms to good use?”

“I put my arms to good use all the time?” Vel points out, tilting her head slightly. “How else would I shoulder charge?”

Key glares at Virtue, and Vel can’t help but feel for her. Having to deal with people saying you couldn’t lift science stuff must be rough.

“I _really _don’t need any _help_, Virtue.” Key practically hisses. “_Thank you_.”

“Alright, alright.” Virtue says, holding up her hands. “My bad. Clearly you’ve got this covered, huh.” The smile gets a little wider, and she shoots Vel a look, eyeing up the arms exposed by her sleeveless hoodie. “Oh, that a new tat? The arrow on your arm?”

Virtue looks down at it, more than a bit confused. “No, I’ve had this one for a while? Did you forget?”

She looks back up as Virtue starts to chuckle, shooting Key a questioning look… only to not meet her eyes at all.

Instead, Key was staring at her arm, and so Vel does what comes naturally;holds it out so Key can get a better look at the tat.

“You like tattoos, Key?” She asks, blinking.

“Love them.” Key responds, without looking up. “This is… really, really well done.” She goes to grab Vel’s arm, and she nods her consent, so Key starts to move the arm to get better angles. “The… uh, the linework is really...nice…”

She starts to go a little bit bluer, and Vel’s brow furrows.

“Hey, I’m sure yours are good too. You don’t have to be embarrassed about them. Or your arm crystal thingy.” She shoots her a reassuring smile. “Your arms are great!”

“Yeah, thanks.” Key murmurs, still looking over her tats, before finally looking up when Virtue clears her throat. “Right!” She lets go of Vel’s arm, nodding. “They’re really good!”

“Thanks!” Vel replies, nodding back. “So, uhh… what tats do you have?”

“Yeah, Key, what tats do you have?” Virtue parrots, grinning. 

“Well…” Key starts, blushing a little bit, and Vel shoots Virtue a glare for embarrassing her. “Well, I… I’ve got this one.” She says, the words running together as she pushes her hand towards Vel, the palm facing upwards. “Uh, don’t worry about grabbing my hand if you need to like… hold it.” Key starts, before coughing. “Like, hold it at an angle to see the words!”

“Yeah, thanks.” Vel says, nodding and grabbing Key’s hand, pushing it down slightly to get a better view of the words on her wrist. “No such thing as useless scrap?” She asks.

“It’s my life’s motto.” Key admits, blushing...a lot, actually. 

“You alright?” Vel asks, reaching up to feel her forehead with the hand that wasn’t holding on to Key’s. “You look kinda fever-y”  
  
Virtue starts to snicker, but stops when Tarow’s voice reverberates through the bar, asking her to come help with something.

“You two be good.” Virtue says, winking as she stands up. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do…” She nods at Key. “Or do, I guess. Have fun, kids.”

“Try not to break your hip on the way over there, dinosaur.” Vel scoffs,but Key just swallows.

“Uh, so… any fever?” She asks, still blushing.  
  
Vel shakes her head, pulling her hand back. “Nah, you seem fine.”  
  
“Thanks, Vel… I, uh…” Key blushes harder, looking down and Vel follows her gaze, before releasing her hand. 

“Shi-” Vel starts, and every pair of eyes in the bar turns their way. “Shoot!, sorry about that.”

“Nah, it’s okay.” Key says, still blushing. “It… I liked it. It’s, uhh… it’s nice. Good shit.” She blushes harder and looks away, and Vel does the same, her face starting to heat up as a blush of her own starts to form.  
  
Not being allowed to cuss was… embarrassing, sometimes. Especially since Key could, and she was younger.

People start to look away, and she sighs. “Ugh. You have any other tats?”  
  
“One.” Key says, coughing again. “One other one, for now. I can’t show you in the bar, though.” She winks, and Vel blinks back.

_‘Key has an ankle tat?’_

“Really? Huh, you should show it to me sometime…” Key grins, but Vel continues. “but I heard those hurt a lot. You must be tougher than you look!”

Key chuckles, leaning back in her seat. “Well, you know… I might be a warlock, but that doesn’t mean I’m weak. How about you? What tattoo hurt the most?”

“Oh, definitely this one.” Vel says, reaching down to pull her hoodie and the shirt under it up. “The pawprint on my abs?”  
  
“Abs.” Key repeats, staring down at it.  
  
“Yeah. It’s there to cover up one of the scars from the Red War.” Vel says, shrugging… but not lowering her hoodie, yet. “I got it for Trips.”

“Right.” Key says, still staring, and Vel cranes her neck to check the tat out, herself. 

“Can you still see it, or something? Are you looking for the scar?”  
  
“Abs…” Key murmurs, before shaking her head. “I- Absolutely not. You can’t even see a trace of it!” She shoots Vel a quick smile. “By the way, your” She cuts off, coughing and looking away. “Your tat is great!”

“Thanks!” Vel says, still looking down at it. “You can still feel it if you rub there. Wanna try?”

Key opens her mouth and a strange squeaking noise comes out, and she closes her eyes again, shaking her head. “Sorry, I… something was caught in my throat, uhhh…” She swallows. “If… if you want, I’ll rub wherever you want me to.”  
  
“Oh, that’d be great.” Vel replies, smiling and pulling her hoodie back down. “I always need massages after training and Lil Dude can’t fix that.”

“Y-yeah?” Key asks, the blush creeping back. “That sounds cool. My girlfriend thinks I give great massages, so it’ll probably be really, yknow, good for you.”

“Sounds great.” She says, nodding. “You have a girlfriend, huh?”

“Two!” Key half-shouts, as if she can’t get the word out fast enough. “I, two girlfriends, I mean. I’m dating two people. Yknow.”

“That’s cool.” Vel says, nodding along. “One of them’s that quiet warlock Vlana’s dating, right?”  
  
“Rava?” Key asks, nodding. “Yeah, that’s her. I… I’m also dating a titan, though.” She swallows again. 

“Now you just need a hunter for the whole set.” Vel says, chuckling, and Key shakes her head. 

“I mean, class doesn’t really matter, I’d… yknow, I’d date another titan.”

“But…” Vel says, tilting her head. “I thought you said class wouldn’t matter. Why would her being a Titan matter?”

“Uhhhh…..” Key starts, biting her lip. “You know. No reason.”  
  
“Okay…” Vel says, blinking. 

“But uhhh, how about you?” Key asks, leaning forward. “Are you.... Yknow? Single?”

“Yeah.” Vel says, nodding. 

“And… yknow, you’re a titan, right?”

“Heck yeah I am.” Vel says, grinning as Virtue heads back over towards their table. “Virtue’s always trying to show me how to be a better striker, but… oh!” She beams. “I almost forgot about this one!”

“This one?” Key asks, and Vel reaches back down to the hem of her hoodie, nodding.

“Yeah! Here, I’ll show you.”

She pulls her hoodie up further, over her sports bra to reveal a large, chest-wide tattoo of the striker titan, and Key makes that weird squeak again…

Just as Virtue heads back to the table, laughing. “Aight, kid, save something for after she buys you dinner. C’mon, time to train.”  
  
“But we’re not supposed to spar today!” Vel complains, lowering her hoodie again. “And what do you mean, after dinner?”

“Worry less about that and more about how you plan to beat me in the spar.” Virtue advises, grabbing Vel’s shoulder and hauling her to her feet. 

“Fu-” Vel starts, as everyone turns around. “Fine, freaking… whatever. Sorry, Key, I have to go beat up a dinosaur for a few hours.” 

Key gives her a two-finger salute in response, even as she rapidly turns a shade of blue, one no human had seen before.

“What’s she blushing about?” Vel wonders aloud, as the bar door closes behind them.

Virtue just chuckles. “Tell you what, you manage to knock me down and I’ll tell you _exactly _what her problem is.”

“You’re on, dinosaur.” 


	2. Just Wanna Dance With You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by Tori

_ I just wanna tell you that you’re really, pretty, girl. _

_ I just wanna know if you’ll let me be your world? _

Key didn’t tend to go clubbing.

It’d just never been her scene. The loud music, the crowds, the grinding…

Okay so maybe the grinding was nice, but the booming music and grabby men at most clubs were too much for her head and her patience, in that order.

But this club was proving to be an exception.

_ I just know you got to taste like candy, candy girl _

_ I just wanna tell you that you're really, pretty, girl _

She bobs along to the classical music as she moves between the crowds, winking at a couple girls she’d been dancing with earlier.   
  


They’d been great, and she was having a blast, but… she was in dire need of a drink and a cute butch to buy it for her.

At the least, getting some alcohol in her would get her to stop blushing at every flirty girl with pretty eyes.

She dodges to avoid a huge man with the kindest eyes she’d ever seen…

And collides with someone extremely sturdy. It’s like hitting a brick wall, and for a moment she thinks she has as she falls back onto her ass…

And then she looks up into the eyes of the wall she’d just collided with, and her heart jumps up into her throat.

With the gentle light behind her, she almost looks like some kind of nightlife angel… but with those unmistakable orange eyes and the immediate concern…

“Vel?” She asks, blinking as she stands. “I didn’t know you came to places like this.”   
  
Vel is silent for a moment, just staring, until, finally… 

“Who’s Vel?”

“You…” Key blinks. “What? Is there another twin I don’t know about?” She leans to the side, eyeing her face from another angle… and the arms, of course. “No, you’ve got the right tattoos. You’re Vel.”

“Crap.” Vel mutters, and Key raises an eyebrow. “Look, I…”

“Gotta get away sometimes?” Key offers, and the tension goes out of Vel’s shoulders all at once, a little smile finding its way to her lips. “I get it, they’re all a little… intense, on occasion.”   
  
“Yeah.” Vel says, that faint smile getting a little stronger. “Especially Vlana.”   
  
Key’s smile becomes just a bit more strained, but Vel barely has time to give her a worried look before she’s shaking her head, the mood back.

“Yeah, she, uhh… seems the type.” Key says, shaking her head. “So…” She starts, winking. “Come here often?”

“Not really.” Vel says, blinking back. “But it’s always fun when I can! Everyone’s so nice, here.”

“Right?” Key chirps, thankful for the dim light that hid her blush at the missed come-on. “I’m not surprised that they like  _ you _ , here.”

“Heh, thanks.” Vel says, beaming… and tilting her head, just a bit. “You wanna dance? I was gonna head home, but one more won’t hurt.”

“That… sounds great, yeah!” Key says, beaming back, completely unable to believe her luck as Vel gently takes her hand in hers and tugs her onto the dance floor. 

And it’s… nice. Vel’s a perfect gentlewoman, so things aren’t nearly as physical as Key would like, but… there’s a simple pleasure in dancing with a pretty girl, especially one you have a crush on, and  _ especially  _ when the lights are low and the volume is high.

Eventually, she pulls Vel off the dance floor and towards the door, still laughing and grooving to the song as Vel does the same.

“You’re pretty good!” She half-shouts over the beat, still full of excitement, and Vel nods back.

“You too!” She says, giving Key’s hand one final squeeze before letting it go and looking towards the door. “I’m, uhh…sorry, but-”   
  
“Yeah, don’t worry!” Key says, slugging her in the shoulder… and grinning, just a bit. “Mind if I walk you partway? There’s a fantastic burger joint like, ten minutes from here and I’m  _ starving _ .”

“Sounds nice!” Vel responds, nodding towards the door, and Key starts heading that way, sorely missing having Vel’s hand in hers.

/

The walk home is… nice too, in an entirely different way.

Whereas dancing together had been loud and quick, their bodies moving in sync and the heat of the club leaving them blessedly tired, walking home under the stars was quiet, peaceful, and more than a bit chilly.

For once, Key actually  _ needed  _ her jacket, but had left it at home…

So she’s shivering a lot through their conversations, and Vel thinks nothing of her walking a little bit closer than usual…

Until, eventually, they make it to the shop, Key immediately ordering her favorite from the walk up window, before turning back to shoot Vel a quick grin. 

“C’mon, step up here and order yours! My treat!”   
  
“You really don’t have to-” Vel starts, but Key just shakes her head.   
  
“Hey, you kept me warm all the way here, it’s the least I can do!” She grins. “And no cheaping out, either! Get the best burger you want, I can cover it.”

“If you say so…” Vel says, shrugging and stepping up to the window. 

Once their orders are placed and the woman running the place steps away to make them, Vel shoots the still-shivering Key a small smile… and decides an undershirt will be more than enough to keep her warm.

So she pulls her sleeveless hoodie off and holds it out to Key, smiling softly. “Here, it’ll keep you warm the rest of the way home.”

Key stares at it for a second, going bluer than ever under the dim streetlights, and finally grabs it, nodding. “Th-thank you so much, wow!” She slips it on as quick as she can, giggling happily at how much bigger it is than her usual jacket. “It’s, uh… really warm!” 

“Glad to hear it.” Vel says, nodding and reaching out to grab the burgers, handing Key hers and shooting her a soft smile. “Just be sure to give it back tomorrow, okay?”

“Will do!” Key chirps, bundling up in it and practically bouncing in place. “Have a safe walk home, okay?”    
  
“You too.” Vel says, nodding and turning away…   
  
“Wait, one last thing!” Key says, gently grabbing her shoulder and turning her around as Vel tilts her head to the side…   
  
Only to receive a quick, tight hug before Key steps back, still smiling. “I won’t tell anyone I saw you there, okay? We just went out for burgers, if anyone asks.”

“Yeah…” Vel says, a smile of her own on her face as she shakes her head to dispel the sleepiness. “Thanks, Key. You’re great.”

“You too.” Key says, giving her a quick jab to the arm before stepping back, still smiling. “Night, Vel!”

“Night, Key.” Vel replies, turning and heading off towards home, more than ready to pass out.

Key watches her go for a moment, before giving a silent squeal and jumping up and down a few times.

The woman working the window gives her a quick smile and a thumbs up, and she smiles back as she starts her trek towards home.

Sure, she’d never gotten that drink, but…

“It was a good night.” She murmurs, hugging the hoodie closer to herself. 


	3. Science and Smoke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Marty this time

Kato opened his front door, basically his since his family was a bit more spread out now. He shook his head, purple hair falling as the gel started to wear out. 

“Welcome to my humble abode. Bathroom is front left door, kitchen is here on the right, feel free to get snacks or drinks.” He tossed his keys on the counter and gently set down a bunch of the equipment and notes on the counter, the pack of warlocks and a lone titan following behind him. “Coffee should be next to the maker, weed is over by the patio door, there’s a pipe, a bong and wraps dependin on what ya want.”   
  
Kato looked at the various plants across the space, all of them looking healthy. All but one apparently, a purple orchid, one that reminded him of his sister was drooping.   
  
“Too much sun huh lil one.” He gently moved it deeper into the apartment, away from the sunlight streaming through the balcony door.   
  
“Aww what's wrong with that one?” Abbadon floated up a little higher to see the plant. 

“Its an orchid, they’re really picky about sunlight. She probably just wants more shade.” Kato smiled softly at the shorter warlock. “I’m bein a terrible host do you want some water or a snack?” 

“I mean… If you…” Kato watched her stutter and stammer in an apologetic fashion. 

“Abby I mean this with the utmost love and affection.” Kato stared her right in the eyes. “Please take a hit and chill out. Bring me some weed and the bong while I make you a cup of water.” 

There was no sound as she floated over to the desk where all the paraphernalia was kept, but he could hear Tanya offering half of one of Jane’s gummies, shivering as he remembered how strong those were. It would make the insecure girl relax though. He absent mindedly filled a cup, daydreaming of spending a day as high as he was on that gummy.   
  
Eventually, he heard the sound of glass resting on marble, which snapped him out of his daydream. The two traded, Abby sipping on the water in that ‘I’m a guest and don’t want to ask for more’ way, and Kato in a very practiced way prepped the bong and bowl.   
  
Summoning a bit of solar energy he light his thumb, took a hit and then passed the bong to Abby. For a few minutes the two just passed the bong back and forth giggling. 

“Hey asshole!” Key poked Kato and grabbed the bong. “Not sharing you fucker.” She took a large hit. “Rude ass host.” 

“Aww Key don’t be so mean.” Abby pulled out a sketchbook from her bag, starting a sketch. “We just got wrapped up in our own conversation.” 

“After all this time I thought I could trust you to puff puff pass Kato.” Key took another hit. “Abby is new to this you’re not.” 

“Rude, and here I thought getting myself shocked six thousand-”   
  
“Twenty five.” 

“Times trying to take apart a Riskrunner was what built our friendship. Can’t believe you’re using me for my weed.” 

“It's good weed.” Key shrugged. “And you only get shocked when you start messing with my shit instead of playing with your malfeasance.” 

“Well someone has to drag you outta your lab, and Abby is too shy to do that.” Kato ruffled her hair, getting a swat and an angry mumble as she focused on drawing. 

“Thank you oh awesome Kato. Providing me weed and company so I don’t become a spinster.” 

“You’re too cute to be a spinster.” Abby muttered, still laser focused on her art. Key blushed and Kato started howling with laughter. 

“Abbyyy.” Key groaned. “You can’t just say stuff like that.” 

“Well its better than what Virtue says. Or the two octaves your laugh goes up whenever V-” Abby’s face was suddenly met by a hand covering her mouth. Half lidded eyes looked at almost glowing purple cheeks. 

“Haha yeah Vlana is really embarrassing.” Key’s eyes watched Kato’s reaction, the awoken man sharing the same dense skull as his sister. 

“She’s scary y’all. Like seriously, who keeps 15 knives on her person?” Kato shivered, and grabbed an armful of snacks. 

“She pretends to be strong and infallible but she really cares for you all.” Abby still was staring down at the page fully focused on the picture being put on the page. “She keeps herself between the door and whoever she’s hanging out with, and when Vel, Elise or Luna are there her hand drops an extra four inches away from her nearest knife. Probably cause she’s more relaxed.” 

Key and Kato stared at Abby, fully focused and amazed at her observations. 

Abby yawned and looked at the two who were staring at her like she found a way to defeat the darkness for good. 

“Abby that’s really fuckin cool that you notice that.” Kato’s eyes were glassy and unfocused, definitely feeling it now. 

“You guys didn’t know that?” Abby blinked confused. “It's so obvious.” 

“I knew Vlana before I died and _I _didn’t know that Abs.” 

“You got a real awesome skill there Abby.” Kato nodded and looked at the small warlock, a soft smile on her face as she yawned again. “And if you wanna crash here you can, you can either have Vel’s ol room or Tarow’s.” 

“Whichonecloser?” Abby mumbled, eyes fluttering closed. 

“Vel’s, and here I gotcha.” Kato gently picked up Abby and walked her to Vel’s room, all greens, golds and blues. On the bed was a giant teddy bear, bigger than all of the warlocks in the room. “Sleep tight Abs, love ya.” Kato pulled a blanket over Abby as she hugged the bear. 

“Keygonnabejealo…” Abby mumbled as indica induced sleep took hold of her. 

Key was in the doorway looking at the shock of black hair sticking out from next to the giant teddy bear. 

“She’s fucking awesome, glad we found her.” Key said. 

“She really is, hopefully she realizes that soon.” Kato smiled. “Might take a bit, Tarow says we gotta help build her up. Make a good support base.” 

“We got that covered no problem.” 

“Also what got you all flustered back there? Who’s Key crushin o-YOWWWW” Kato shook his hand as arc energy shocked him, making his hair stand up. “Fine I get it fuck off lightning rod.” 

“Great so you’re not as stupid as…” Key shook her head. “I thought. Now come on you said something was givin you issues.”

They pulled out the datapads and notes, carefully moving Abby's sketchbook. The open page a picture of the three of them laughing half finished but lovingly crafted. 


	4. Science of Subtly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Marty

Kato tiredly dragged his two warlock friends through the doors of the Stray’s Stay. All three of them looked exhausted and ragged, hair messy, black circles and bags under their eyes. Overall, Grade A academic trainwrecks. 

Vel, Amisi and Trips were lying down on a rug in front of the fireplace, the two guardians freshly showered, a few scrapes and bruises too minor for Lil Dude to “bother” healing for Vel. 

“Bruh, come join us.” Vel waved her hand, eyes not even open, Amisi showing a thumbs up, and Trips rolling onto his back so his belly was free to be pet. 

“I’m comin, just..” He turned around and grabbed Abby and Key as they began to sit down. “There’s no fuckin way you guys are gettin out of this. I’m tired and want cuddles so I bet y’all do too.” Dragging them by the collar of their shirts he almost flung them onto the rug with the others, soft tired cheers coming from Vel and Amisi. 

A few minutes of shuffling and elbowing and complaining later the group finally settled down. Kato had his head resting on Amisi’s stomach while Abby curled up next to Trips, her head on Kato’s arm. 

Key however was more awake than she had been in the three days they had spent crunching out research data for a showcase dinner. She was also holding onto Trips, but was also lying on Vel’s arm, almost perfectly fitting underneath her chin. She could feel Vel’s chest rising and falling softly, it was a bit relaxing, but her brain was in overdrive. 

“Hey,” Key could feel Vel’s hand gently rest on her shoulder, the thumb absentmindedly stroking her skin. “Relax, I can feel your brain goin faster than light from here.”

“Sorry, I umm just can’t seem to shut it off.” 

“Hold up I got an idea then.” Key was confused but then embarrassed as Vel pulled her _literally on top of the titan _, and then wrapped her in a hug. “People kept telling me my hugs are relaxing and comfy so hopefully that helps you relax.”

Vel took a deep breath and relaxed her body, enjoying the warmth and presence of her friends. After the long mission she and Amisi had this was what she needed. Her breathing steadied into a nice pace, the soft smell of lightning and vanilla tickling her nose. 

“Hey Key,” The warlock squeaked out an acknowledgment but kept her head buried in her shoulder. “You smell really nice, just wanted to let you know.” 

Vel smiled softly but then frowned as Key began to shiver. It was kinda cold lately, and the fire wasn’t goin, plus the rest of the nerds were in their own small pile while Abby was hoggin the dog. 

“You okay Key? Is it too cold?” Vel pulled the warlock closer, trying to share her body heat. 

“I’m fine don’t worry-” 

“We can always go in the back and get a blanket, plenty of spare beds to steal for a bit.” Vel could feel something heat up by her arm, and then Key stopped shaking resting her head on the titan’s shoulder. 

“I’m fine, was just a moment.” 

“Good, just want ya to relax you know. You deserve it.” Vel rested her head on Key’s smiling softly as she finally dozed off. 

On the other pile, Abby and Amisi made eye contact and quickly fist bumped. Things were going according to plan. 


	5. Dedication

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tori time

Key was… a dedicated researcher.    
  
Kato had known that for a while. It was impossible to miss, really, even before they’d found themselves becoming friends. There’s been plenty of days when she’d been in her lab before he’d gone to his and left far after he had, and of course there’d been the all-nighters.

They all did their fair share of all-nighters, but Key had seemed to do them twice again as much as the rest of the researchers, judging by how many times he’d had to make her coffee in the mornings.

It’d even been how they first became friends, a long talk over coffee Key had been too tired to make by herself.

Of course, that had ballooned into her meeting his family, both his twin sister Vel and the various members of his found family, and he was proud to now count Key among them.

So when one all nighter turns into two, three, a week?

He knew he had to do something.

But his attempts had been… unsuccessful, to say the least. Key had begun to refuse to even open the door, and so...

He needed a different touch, something other than what he had, and so he did the only thing he could think of.

He has Solstice send a message, then takes a seat by Key’s door and waits.

/

It’s not long before Amisi strides into the common room, Vel keeping step behind her, a confused look on her face.

“Hey.” Kato says, raising a hand. “Glad you two could make it.”

He nods at the door to Key’s lab. 

Vel nods at it too, and he rolls his eyes.   
  
“Amisi, did you even-”   
  
“What was I supposed to say? ‘Hey, the science bitch is doing science shit too much, lets go bust her door down?’” Amisi rolls her eyes. “She’s  _ your  _ sister,  _ you  _ explain it.”

“Bust down the door?” Vel asks, blinking. “I don’t wanna fu- mess up Key’s lab…”   
  
“No, you-” Kato starts, before taking a quick breath, half-glaring at Amisi. “Okay, look, just… knock on the door, that’s all.”

“How will that help?” Vel asks, blinking. “I thought she wasn’t answering for you.”   
  
Kato shrugs. “You’re not me, I guess. Hey Amisi, why’s this supposed to work, again?”   
  
“Because she’s strong enough to knock too hard to ignore.” Amisi says, shrugging. “Iunno, I had a hunch.”

“A hunch?”   
  
“Look-” Amisi starts, but Vel just walks by them and gives the door a firm knock.

The music gets louder, and Vel frowns, knocking again.

Again, the music gets louder, and again, Vel knocks, nearly hard enough to actually break it down…

And the music cuts off as the door swings open, Key standing there with wild, shadowed eyes and mussed hair, her jacket long since discarded in favor of an undershirt stained with battery acid and oil.

  
“Kato, can you fuck off?!” She half-shouts, stomping her foot. “I’d be done by now if-” She blinks up at Vel, standing there with a slightly worried and extremely apologetic grin on her face, and groans, covering her face as a light blush forms. “You  _ told  _ on me?  _ Really _ ?”

“ _ Jackpot _ .” Amisi says, crossing her arms. “Told you that’d work.”

Key shoots her a glare, and she glares right back.

“I didn’t tell on you.” Kato says, holding his hands up in front of him. “I just thought you’d appreciate some company. Mind if we come in?”

“I-” Key starts, before glancing over at Vel. “I… I mean, fucking-”

“Yeah, thanks.” Amisi says, squeezing by her. “Nice lab.”   
  
“Hey!” Key yelps, turning around and walking after her… giving Kato the chance to poke Vel in the back and get her to head inside.

And it’s a  _ wreck _ . There’s half empty containers of takeout strewn about, coffee mugs sitting everywhere, and formulae written on every surface that’d support a dry-erase marker. Dozens of capacitors in various states of disrepair covered every available table, and there were obvious scorch marks leading away from the melted wreck of a table that had clearly seen better days.

Kato raises his eyebrow at one of them, and Key mutters something about forgetting to drain arc energy before touching a capacitor.

“So, whatcha workin’ on?” Amisi asks, hopping up to take a seat on a table.

“I’m trying to recrea-” Key starts, before rubbing at her eyes as she yawns. “It’s… arc stuff.”

“You must be  _ really  _ tired if you can’t manage to talk about your science stuff.” Vel says, stepping a little bit closer, clearly worried. “How long have you been working?”

“Dunno.” Key replies, grabbing a mug at random and taking a long sip out of it, grimacing. “Ugh, cold.”

“She hasn’t gone home in a week.” Kato says, taking a seat of his own and crossing his arms.

“A week?” Key asks, blinking. “It’s been like, three days, at most. Don’t exaggerate.”

“I’m not.” Kato says, shaking his head as Vel stares at Key. “You’ve been working for a week, Key. We’re all worried.”

  
“I…” Key takes a shaky breath, wobbling slightly. “Look, I’m  _ fine _ , okay? I can handle a few days of work, and I’m really close to a breakthrough, I can  _ feel  _ it, and-”   
  


“And Vel misses you.” Amisi interrupts, laying back on the table to stare at the ceiling as Vel blinks at her. “Hey, is this important?” She asks, reaching for a capacitor…

And grinning as Key whirls around, losing her balance entirely and falling backwards-

Only to be caught and lifted up into a bridal carry by a concerned Vel as Amisi snickers. 

“You okay?” Vel asks, tilting her head a bit, seemingly unfazed by her weight, and Key…

Key just stares at Vel’s face, so close to her own. “I… just, tired. Is all.”

“Even more reason for you to leave the lab and get some sleep.” Kato says, a tone of finality in his voice that sounds like Tarow to everyone there, even him.

“I’m not…” Key starts, before shaking her head and burying her head into Vel’s shoulder. “Fucking...whatever.” She mutters, muffled.

“Good.” Amisi says, hopping off the table. “Now lets get out of here. I’m hungry.”

“I’ll make you something once we get to our place.” Kato says, shaking his head. “Need to make sure Key eats something other than takeout, anyway.”

“Your place?” Key asks, turning to glare at him. “I didn’t say-”   
  
“Yeah, but I know you.” Kato says, shaking his head. “The second we drop you off at your place you’ll go ‘oh, I thought of something to test’, go over to your workbench, and mess with capacitors until you pass out. You’re staying at our place tonight.”

“I…” Key starts, before sighing and resting against Vel’s arm. “Fine.”

“Don’t worry, Vel’s bed is  _ really  _ comfortable.” Amisi says, snickering. 

“Oh, fuck off.” Key mutters, and Vel shakes her head.

“No, she’s serious! My bed really is comfy as heck.” Vel says, nodding slowly so as to not headbutt Key. “You’ll sleep like a baby!”

“I guess.” Key mutters, hiding her blush in Vel’s shoulder once more.

“She’d probably sleep better if you cuddled her, you know.” Amisi wheedles. “You’re a great cuddler, Vel.”   
  
“Oh, yeah!” Vel says, chuckling. “We can cuddle if you want, Key!”

Key just buries her face deeper into Vel’s shoulder, squeaking softly as Vel gives her a concerned look.

“She should really get that squeak checked out.” Kato mutters.

Amisi just grins.

  
  


/

Walking through the city with a warlock in her arms had, surprisingly, not gotten Vel that many weird looks. 

Most people seemed content to just mind their own business, and so the trip only takes about half an hour before Vel is slipping sideways through the door, gently squeezing Key closer to keep from bumping her against the frame. 

“I’ll go cook.” Kato says, nodding. “Any requests?”

“Miso!” Amisi cheers, throwing a hand up into the air, and Kato just rolls his eyes.

“ _ Key _ , any requests?”

Silence is the only response, and Vel shoots Key a worried look…

Only to hear a gentle snore as Key’s face presses deeper into her arm.

“She’s asleep.” Vel whispers, squeezing her a little closer. “I’m gonna take her to my room. We can wake her up once the miso’s done.”

“You should keep an eye on her.” Amisi says, nodding. “Waking up in a new place might be less scary if you’re lying next to her.”

“Good idea.” Vel says, nodding and heading towards her room. “See you nerds in a bit.”

“Yeah, sleep well, lughead.” Kato says, smiling fondly. 

Vel sticks her tongue out at him as the door closes between them, then heads over to the bed, gently setting Key down on it before climbing in, herself.

A little nap before food would help her, too… and besides, Key was warm and soft, and she really did like cuddling, so….

She wraps her arms around Key, smiling softly as Key scoots back into her chest and rests her head on the pillow.

“Night, Key.” She murmurs, and Key...almost manages something close to words back as they drift off to sleep.

  
  



	6. Dance of Denial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marty bein evil.

The science kids, as Tarow called the group, had been working overtime for days on end for what felt like forever to Vel. 

Kato, Key and Abby mentioned a benefactor dinner gala thing, where basically they just kissed as- (Vel felt a glare and saw Illios carrying out food), kissed boots and schmoozed up to rich people so they’d get money for their projects. 

Beatrice commented that a similar thing happened for department funding and that she would in fact also be there with Riptide as benefactors to promising research, (Beatrice blinked weirdly at the nerds while saying that, she should probably get it checked out). It overall sounded really boring, and stuffy and she was glad she wasn’t goin.

“Hey idiot come over here.” Kato waved Vel over to the nerds table, full of coffee and comfort food. 

“Whatcha need manlet?” Vel rolled her eyes and walked over, smiling at the exhausted looking Abby and Key. 

“So this is Abby’s first time going to one of these dinners, and Key usually gets hit on by rich creepers.” Vel’s face hardened. Another mental strike against these dumb dinners. 

“We were thinking of ways to work together to keep it from getting too out of hand, and based on your reaction I think Kato’s idea is really good.” Abby said, Vel blinked and relaxed her body language, unaware of how stiff and tense she got, scratching the back of her head nervously. 

“Can’t believe my bro finally had a good idea, only been like six years.” Kato flipped her off while the two women giggled. 

“Look ya big lug, we just need you to play bouncer. Hang around the ladies making sure that no one... untoward bothers em all night.” Kato waved his hands around and sighed when Vel looked confused.

“Dress nice, hang out with Amisi and Key to make sure no asshats bother them.” 

“Ooooohhh, why didn’t you lead with that.” Kato facepalmed.   
  
“So you’re going to do it?” Abby asked, Vel didn’t really get why she shot a look at Key during that. 

“Heck yeah! Y’all deserve to show off your science stuff without being bothered by rich a-” A brief start of LAPD sirens started and Vel caught herself. “Jerks who are too handsy.” 

Abby looked relieved to have a six foot bodyguard while Key blushed. Vel figured she was embarrassed at the idea of what Vel would wear to a formal event, considering she hadn’t worn anything other than armor and casual clothes around the warlock. 

“Sweet, we’ll meet you gals there around 6.” Kato grinned and started to drag Vel out of the bar. “Don’t worry too much she cleans up nice!” 

What followed was more dress up and hair care than Vel bothered to do in a month, and then about three hours of waiting for Kato to get everything “just perfect.” 

The suit felt a little tighter than she remembered, probably a side effect of all the working out Tanya and Virtue had her doing. The dress shoes felt weird, not protective like her boots and didn’t have grip her sneakers had. Her hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, she needed to cut it soon it was gettin really long. Kato said she looked good enough to go and that’s all that mattered really.

The orange tie she wore felt like a noose, everything felt restrictive and on the verge of bursting. It was a different kind of armor for a battle Vel was completely unprepared for. This wasn’t for her, it was for her friends, she just had to show up, shut up, and look intimidating

With a deep centering breath, just like Tanya told her when she was anxious, she steeled herself. 

The walk over to the ballroom was tense on her end. Kato would reassure her she looked fine, and if science talk was happening just smile and pretend she understood, and maybe talk about astrophysics, she could do that. She could do this for her friends. This dinner meant a lot to them so she was gonna do her best to make it the best for em. 

She could feel her stomach sink as they entered the room, a large banquet hall, lavishly decorated in a way that reminded her of the Leviathan. But this time she couldn’t fight things in order to feel more at home. 

“There you guys are, took forever getting ready huh asshat.” Key poked Kato’s cheek and the two began to banter. Those two looked much more in their element, Key looked good in her dress with that lil scarf she usually wore (Abby said she usually doesn’t wear it but she always had it when Vel saw her...). Kato wore his favorite black and red suit. Abby was… standing behind her looking very out of her element too. 

“Not your scene either huh?” Vel chuckled nervously. 

“I don’t usually dress like this...or talk to this many people.” Abby gestured to her outfit, a simple black dress that hugged her figure much more than the jackets she usually wore. 

“Abby, as a lesbian I can 100% say you look really good, so you don’t have to worry about your dress.” Vel smiled trying to summon up some courage for Abby to latch on to. 

“Thanks Vel, you clean up nice, even if you’re really awkward in it.” 

“Nothin gets past ya huh.” Vel scratched the back of her neck. “And no creepers will get past me, promise.” 

“I appreciate that Vel. You should go talk to Key I know she’s been nervous about this event.” Abby grinned, and Vel saw a glimmer of something in her eye, probably just the light, but she nodded and took her friends advice. 

“Oh yeah lightning rod, like I’ll make a fool out of myself.” Kato scoffed

“You’re always a fool bro.” Vel rested her elbow on his head. “And Key’s always right, can’t fight the facts.”

“Thank you Vel, at least one of you two has sense.” Key swallowed nervously, probably cause of all the fancy old people walking by. “You clean up really nice Vel. Kato you look as insufferable as usual.” 

Vel smiles as she caught Kato pouting. 

“You can thank me for that. Otherwise she would’ve shown up in a flannel and jeans. ‘Covering the arms is dressy enough right?’” Kato rolled his eyes. “This disaster would’ve looked like a lesbian in a hardware store.”

Vel could only shrug cause honestly it was true. 

“I’m sure you would’ve looked great anyway. But this is definitely,” Vel felt like an equation being solved with the way Key was analyzing every detail, “A good look for you.” 

Vel couldn’t help but blush and stammer out a thank you. Which made Abby shake her head and Key smile, confusing Vel more. 

“Alright gang let's get that bread.” Kato put his hands around his fellow researchers and pulled them to their table. 

Dinner itself was a quiet affair, Kato giving her tips on silverware. The people at the table, some couple from Dead Orbit sounded real interested in Keys' research but most of the logistics of it went over her head. She did get a moment to talk about the physics of gravitational slingshots, a nice moment to flex her knowledge of astrophysics which always seemed to shock people. 

Then came the part she was dreading. As dessert finished up, the tables were moved and a live band came out, _socalization. _

Kato immediately ran off to talk to some of his benefactors, and Vel didn’t worry he could take care of himself. 

Abby and her sat back and talk to a few benefactors Vel sitting back and observing. Key had gotten asked to dance with a nice enough man (Key had given her the OK before they left) so Vel was now just enjoying the drinks and snacks occasionally joking with Abby about various party goers, focusing on keeping the more reclusive warlock relaxed. 

“I think that old guy over there is like one glass of wine away fro”

“Vel you got to go now…” Abby’s eyes widened. 

“What’s wron- oh that’s not good.” Abby pointed out Key, currently trying to talk and pull her way out of a dance with a young man.

Vel had spent a lot of time around Key in the last few weeks, and her body language hardened seeing how uncomfortable she looked having the man practically drag her further on the floor. 

“You sure you’ll be okay Abby?” Vel looked back at her friend who simply smiled. 

“Go save her.” Abby looked ready and comfortable at the idea of losing her bodyguard for a few minutes. 

“Yeah just umm… hold this for me?” Vel took off the jacket and rolled up the sleeves on her dress shirt. “This feels better.”

“Much more you, you look a lot more confident now.” Vel smiled and saluted, weaving through the crowd towards the dance floor. 

Trying to intercept Key and her… dance partner was much like astrophysics, or at least that’s what Vel told herself. 

Key was a comet orbiting the floor, Vel just had to find the speed she was going and plot an interception. Astrophysics was simple. How she was going to get away with cutting in? She had no idea. Hopefully intimidation worked. 

A minute goes by, she makes eye contact with Key once, disgust and anxiety meeting strength and reassurance, and Vel picked up her pace. 

She had one good shot at this, and hopefully the math checked out. 

Key and the guy spun closer, and Vel went with her gut. She pulled on the guys collar, with fairly measured strength to the point where he stumbled backwards (if he fell on his butt it’d just be a bonus). Quickly she slid over, thankful for the lack of grip on these shoes. 

Before Key, or anyone else really, could react Vel put one hand on Key’s waist and grabbed her hand. Resuming the basic dance without missing a beat. 

“Hope you don’t mind me cutting in so abruptly.” Vel smiled, a bit embarrassed. “Looked like you needed an evac. I just ummm… miscalculated how long this song was.” 

“I don’t mind at all.” Key laughed, it was really pretty if Vel was being honest. “Thanks for the save Vel. Like the wardrobe change too. It’s much more you.”

“Sleeves really aren’t my jam. Can’t show off the tats with em.” 

“Yeah they’re great tattoos. Show how much you love your family.” Vel glanced down, dopamine almost pressed against Key’s arm while the arrow supported her waist. 

“Honestly I wanted to show em off to scare the guy off, but I think plan A worked out.” 

“Plan A was yanking the guy away?”

“Plan A was intercepting a comet, plan B was throwin him out of the building.” Vel smiled nervously. 

“A comet?”

“Yeah you.” Vel couldn’t look at Key, just feeling really dumb. “You were eye catching and orbiting around the dance floor, kinda like a comet around a planet.” 

“That’s… really cute Vel.”

“Ehh it’s pretty dumb but it helped me figure out when and where to cut in.” 

“Honestly Vel it’s adorable.” Vel stumbled a little as they turned but Key steadied her. “And shows off your intellect. Didn’t know you could do physics calculations like that.”

“Most people don’t really. It’s a passion project of mine so I can get better with thundercrashes.” Vel blushed. 

“It’s really advanced physics done completely in your head, that’s…” Vel risked a glance at Key and could only blush more. “Amazing.” 

“Yeah so umm… you’re not a bad dancer.” As they turned Vel completely swapped subjects, not enjoying being the center of attention. 

“I’m better in clubs but you know that already. Surprised you know how to dance like this.” 

“Tarow taught us how to cause it ‘would be useful one day.’ Ol man wasn’t wrong and I’m happy I get to dance with you.” Vel smiled genuinely. “Even if the reason was bad. It’s nice.” 

“Me too. You’re a good dance partner, a real gentlewoman.” 

“Good, if you reported anything else I think everyone would kill me. You deserve a good gentlewoman to dance with and I’m honored it’s me tonight. Vel usually didn’t talk like that, but somethin deep in her gut made her want to say that. She blinked in a confused way. “Dunno what it is about you that makes me wanna say that sorta stuff. You’re just easy to talk to.” 

Key blushed, and Vel felt even more embarrassed. As Key opened her mouth the song ended and the crowd cheered, bringing them out of their moment. 

Vel politely bowed before turning on her heel and exiting the dance floor before she could feel like a bigger idiot. Her face felt hot, the tie felt choking, every atom in her body was yelling at her to run as far as possible but she could only bring herself to go out on a balcony. 

Once outside she loosened the tie and undid the top button, finally feeling able to breathe again. Her heart was racing, her stomach felt like feral cats were in there, butterflies had been replaced ages ago. Vel was rarely one to want to run from problems, but some part of her brain wanted to do nothing more than put as much time and space between her and that entire… moment of idiocy with Key. She sat down on a bench and put her head in her hands, willing her brain to slow down. 

Vel was so focused on her thoughts she didn’t notice the door open and close, or someone approach until Abby gently touched her shoulder. 

“You okay?” 

“I’ll…” Vel looked at Abby’s stern look. “No point in lyin to you. I dunno. I just feel stupid and wanna get out of here.” 

“Why?” Abby looked fairly confused. “You and Key were having a great time dancing, what made you feel dumb?” 

“I uhhh, dunno really. Just nothing felt good enough when I was saying it.” 

“Did she say you were dumb?” Vel shook her head no. “Then there’s no way Key thought whatever you did was dumb.” Abby put her hand over Vel’s. “You don’t have to feel embarrassed about…” Vel could feel Abby’s eyes meeting hers, dark brown looking deep into her very soul. “Anything really. I’m sure Key appreciated you saving her from that man, and enjoyed dancing and talking with you.”

“Why do I even care so much! I don’t care about bein dumb around you, or Amisi, or Vlana!” Vel groaned, feeling the need to ram her head into the nearest surface. “I don’t get it.”   
  
“Oh Vel.” Abby sighed like she was exhausted and Vel raised an eyebrow at her. “You have to think about that and figure out why on your own. This isn’t one of those things me or Amisi can just tell you.” 

“So much for havin friends.” Vel stuck her tongue out, “Abandoning me in my time of need.” 

Abby could only smile and shake her head. 

“You’ll figure it out, we can’t always solve your problems for you.” 

“Tell that to Amisi she’d just lock me in a room and yell until it ‘goes through my thick dense helmet of a skull’.”

“I’m going to head back inside and go find Kato. If you still want to avoid Key I suggest coming back inside soon.” Before Abby could get up Vel pulled her into a hug.

“Thanks for everythin Abby. It meant a lot.” Vel felt her body relax when Abby hugged her back. 

“It’s what friends are for.” Two quick smiles, one a lot weaker than the other but it was a start, and then Abby went back to brave the party. 

Vel on the other hand, lied down on the bench, looking at the Traveler and the night sky. Despite Abby’s advice, which usually was spot on and the right thing to do, Vel didn’t want to go back in yet. 

Which completely backfired when she saw Key peek her head out the door, obviously looking for the titan. 

“Vel! I’ve been looking for you.” Vel couldn’t look but she could hear the soft clack of Key’s heels. “I was worried about the way you ran off…” The pause was probably Key looking at her completely defeated and deflated. “Are… are you okay?” 

“I’ll be fine, I just felt smothered with the whole fancy thing.” Vel had no idea why she felt obligated to lie. “Just really needed to take a break.” 

“Oh I um.. I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t something I said.” Vel sat up and put her hands out. 

“Nah nah I wasn’t anything about you, it was all me and my brain don’t worry.” Vel patted a spot next to her and Key sat down next to her. “You were perfect it’s just me.” 

“Oh okay. It was really hard not to think that considering it was right as the dance ended.” Key looked down and Vel felt her heart drop. 

“No no Key it.” Vel tried to meet her eyes and when she couldn’t she gently lifted Key’s chin. “You did nothing wrong in there, I promise.” 

The two sat there unmoving for what felt like an eternity for Vel. 

_‘Key’s eyes are really pretty.’ _Vel felt hypnotized by the bright green. _‘I could just lean in and-’ _

Vel immediately dropped her hand and tried to hide her shock, she could tell she did it poorly by the way Key looked confused and concerned. 

“You-” 

“Yeah just remembered Abby wanted to leave in a bit.” Vel could feel her cheeks heat up again. 

“If you’re sure.” There was no way Key bought that but she needed to go _now _. 

“We should go find them.” Vel grabbed Key’s hand, just like she had dozens of times before, but all she could think about was how warm and good it felt and she moved even faster. 

Vel felt like she was running on overdrive, like she had gotten into the revelry tonic accidentally. She felt too good, she needed to get out of here before something happened. Cause something was always going to happen. 

“There you two are!” Kato looked buzzed and satisfied, business cards filling up his suit pockets. “It’s been a great night y’all!” He hugged Vel and Abby. 

“I think it’s time to go home now bro.” Kato pouted as Vel walked him towards the door. 

“I hope you girls had a nice time. You guys looked good out on the dancefloor.” Vel tried her best to not react to that statement, but could see Key deflate a little. 

The quartet walked in silence for a while, Kato a bit confused about the tense atmosphere, but too buzzed to really think about it. Then Abby broke off, handing Vel her jacket back. 

While the three walked, Vel tried to keep Kato between her and Key, but she couldn’t help but look over at the warlock every now and then. She wasn’t kidding when she said Key was eye catching. Vel could hear the warlock mutter about missing her jacket, and see the slight shiver. 

Wordlessly, Vel gently draped her jacket around Key’s shoulders, it was really big on her but that just meant Key could wrap it tighter. Some weird part of Vel’s brain really liked seeing Key all swaddled up in her jacket. 

When Key looked at her, confused and questioning Vel just shot back an honest smile. Her emotions and thoughts might be all weird, but one thing still made perfect sense. She wanted Key to be comfortable and happy. 

Eventually they parted ways, Key promised to return the jacket and Vel promised to take care of Kato. 

There was an extra beat of them looking at each other, some untouched tension in the air begging to be addressed and right as Key opened her mouth to start talking, Kato puked and time resumed. Vel carried him away, both thanking and cursing her own brother. 

The walk home was quiet, Kato passed out and Vel was wrapped up in her own thoughts. Almost throwing Kato into his own bed, kicking a trashcan next to his head just in case, Vel ran back to her room and sent out one simple message. 

“A; need your help NOW-V”


	7. Astrophysics based Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vel asks Kato for some astrophysics advice that goes over his head.

It had been almost two weeks since the dinner, and the last time someone had seen Vel around the Last City. 

Tarow and Kato were at a loss for why she was taking so many multi-day missions with Amisi, but they couldn’t get in contact with either of them. Even if they could, they had no idea what had happened or how to help. All they could do was ride it out and wait for her to come home. 

Kato was also worried about Key, often seeing her only in the lab. Not at the bar, not at cafes, barely even in the communal kitchen. 

Two important women in his life both incredibly upset and drowning themselves into work after something had happened. Kato groaned. He had no idea what happened and all he wanted was to slam his head into the nearest desk. 

“Hey bro you home?” Orange eyes peeked around the door. Vel looked tired and scared and nervous, he hadn’t seen her like this since the Red War. 

“What’s up sis?” Kato shoved his work aside. “Have nice missions?” 

“They were… okay. Amisi was hounding my butt the whole time.” Vel sat down, she looked ragged, exhausted and somewhat haunted. “Was hopin it’d help clear my head but things still don’t quite add up.” 

“Well, I got a spare whiteboard if you wanna science it out.” Kato shrugged and offered a marker. For a moment Vel stared at it, and almost sprinted to the whiteboard. 

“So for the longest time, these two celestial bodies moved in the same constant orbit, or so it seemed.” Vel drew a few circles and dots. “But actually, at least one of the orbits was on a collision course with no obvious ways to alter it. Should someone step in to stop the collision given that it could destroy both objects?” 

“I mean no, its nature. Why mess with somethin that big it’ll take so much work and effort to just have them never collide. Plus that collision could be beautiful ya know, make a whole bunch of new elements and compounds that could change the way whole planets form.” 

Vel looked stunned at the insights Kato was providing. 

“Why do you wanna move these celestial bodies anyways? Does that one comet mean a lot to you?” 

“More than I thought honestly.” 

“Vel, it's just a hunk of space rock.” The titan flushed. 

“Yeah yeah it's just. Pretty ya know.” 

“In our lives, you just gotta take the good where it is. Enjoy the pretty comet while you can and if it happens to break when those things collide at least you had it in your life at all.” Kato put a hand on Vel’s shoulder. “Cherish the good and pretty things in your life, but you can’t stop things from moving forward.” 

“You’re right.” Vel smiled widely. “Enjoy it while it lasts. I gotta go!” 

“Go watch that space rock!” Kato cheered as Vel ran out of his lab. “Why the fuck does my sister care so much about a hunk of rock?”   
He could hear Abby trade greetings with Vel before coming in. 

“What was that about?” 

“Something about saving comets and enjoying it before it was destroyed?” 

“Comets?” Kato shrugged as he saw Abby trying to put the pieces together. 

“Yeah, dunno why she’s so attached to a hunk of rock, some sort of miscalculation? I dunno I don’t fuck with astrophysics.” 

“You really don’t understand it at all.” Abby rolled her eyes and walked back to her lab. “Some things just go right over your head.” 


	8. Blunt Bikes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Crime AU based of GTA 5 because we've run out of stuff to do in D2 and started making TCU versions of gta online characters. 
> 
> Key is a sugar baby college student, Vel is a biker in Tarow's small gang. They're still really gay and dumb tho dw.

Vel tapped a beat out on the tank of her chopper, her life’s work, her pride and joy. Her headphones bobbing with her as she sat at the plaza of the observatory. She liked being this far above the lights of the City, clearer skies, less people. The City was a bit too… much for her tastes, too loud in all the wrong ways, but there were some good things about the city life. 

There was a low roar of an engine, one of those ones that cost more than everything Vel had ever bought put together. The biker smiled and took off her headphones as heeled boots stepped out of the car. 

Key looked around, and Vel could see the determination in her green eyes, they were really pretty eyes. 

“Vel? Vel.” Key snapped her hand in Vel’s face. 

“Yeah sorry you say something?” Vel could feel her face blushing. “I was just thinkin about that dinner you’re gonna owe me.” Key rolled her eyes and rested her arms on the handlebar. 

“Your crazy stupid if you think I’m paying for dinner. I love your bike, its cute and very you, but there’s no way you’re beating the peak of modern engineering.” 

“What a shame it would be to actually lose to the overpriced toy you got this week.” Vel kicked her motorcycle on. “Too bad it won’t happen.” 

Actually it was very likely to happen. 

Vel, the idiot and useless lesbian she was could not figure out how to ask Key on a date, so instead she was going to lose the race. She was gonna make it close but really let Key win so she could treat her out to dinner at that nice Chinese place that was on the way back to the bar. 

“So finish line is that club warehouse heading out to the bar?”

“Yep, now go turn around so we can count down.” Vel smiled as Key walked back to the car. “Blast the radio we’ll go when the commercials are over.” 

Key turned the car around pulling up next to the bike. Rolling down the window she blew a kiss to Vel, a standard Key gesture, before blasting the radio. 

“And we’re back on 88.-” Vel couldn’t hear the rest of the DJ’s line as the two took off down the hill. 

Vel slid her headphones back over her ears as they were on a straight away, one hand guiding the bike forward. The music was the right kinda loud, and only made her smile and laugh. They took the first corner, an empty freeway on ramp and Key came out a head, which was expected and planned. 

A car was going to be a lot better tight corners than her bike, no matter how much she modified it, if she wanted to push it, she might be able to pull ahead on the more curved sections. Speeding up she pulled back alongside the door and to be cheeky tapped on the window and stuck her tongue out. She could see Key’s eyes flick over, but thankfully keeping her eyes on the road, before laughing. 

Something in Vel’s chest filled with warmth as she saw Key laugh. Smiling like an idiot she kept pace often doing dumb things every few minutes to keep the five mile race somewhat entertaining. She took the lead for a while, until they had to take a sharp turn off the freeway and she expected Key to fly ahead with practiced grace and ease when instead she heard the tell tale pop of a tire. Confused Vel went into a power slide and slowly drove over to the high end sports car. 

Key had her head on the steering wheel, she had probably done that in frustration of such bad luck Vel didn’t blame her. The biker parked her bike off in the shoulder and walked over to tap the window again, gently with her gloved hand (she could not even think about footing any repair bill on this thing). Key rolled it down and Vel rested her arms on the door. 

“Hi ma’am couldn’t help but stop for a damsel in distress.” 

“I’m a damsel, I’m in distress, I can handle it, have a nice day.” She could feel Key rolling her eyes since she couldn’t see it. 

“Understandable have a nice night. You haven’t seen my friend have you? She’s really smart and drives expensive ass cars, absolute ass with auto stuff in general though.” The light smack to her arm signaled to Vel that Key was fine. “Pop the trunk and hop out so we can see about throwin on a spare.” 

With a soft pop the trunk, a generous term for like two square inches of space, was fully empty. No spare, no tools, nothing for her to work with. 

“You might wanna call a tow there’s nothing back here.” A deep sigh echoed around them, fully understandable this was annoying to Vel and it wasn’t even her car! 

Walking a few steps away Vel leaned on her bike and put her music back on, giving Key some privacy to deal with all that fancy insurance stuff. She just grooved out for a bit, mouthing along to the song. 

Rocking out definitely made her unprepared for the soft tap on her arm and an amused Key watched her jump and pull her headphones off. 

“Welcome back dork.” 

“Hahaha, jerk.” Vel rolled her eyes. “So when’s the truck coming?”   
“Well I didn’t call a tow, I called a….friend and she said just leave the car here and she’ll take care of it all.” Key’s face flushed a little, probably cause popping a tire racing was really embarrassing. 

“Well since you’re out a tire that probably costs more than my apartment… you still want to get that dinner?” 

“You just knew you were gonna lose huh?” 

“Do you want a free ride and food or?” Vel smiled and sat on the bike, it was almost a perfect fit for the smaller woman to slide her hands around her waist. 

“What a gentlewoman, rescuing me and taking me to dinner.” 

The warmth on her back was nice and Vel gently and slowly drove for her, only going 75 in 60 zones, drove the rest of the way. As reckless of a speed demon she was she wasn’t going to risk hurting Key as she’s done to herself probably hundreds of times now. 

Vel was almost disappointed when they reached the small Chinese restaurant Kato, Abby, Key and her went to after many all nighters and consecutive days of lab work. Was a bit different being just the two of them but Vel was enjoying it. 

“I’m fucking starving, especially after everything.” Key stretched her back, Vel just watching fondly before moving inside. 

“Poppin a tire and losing a race is like that. Exhausting” 

“You backed into that spot so I was here first.” 

“My bike though, but you know what I’ll let it slide.” Vel shook her head. “Got to be a gentlewoman to this damsel anyways.” 

“Oh my hero.” Key batted her eyes at Vel who just laughed as they both sat down. 

“You know I probably was goin to lose.” Vel had a soft smile.

“Why?” 

“Enjoyed makin you laugh a lot more than actually racin.” Vel heard Key choke on her water.


	9. Sleepover By Hayley Kiyoko Plays Softly In The Distance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one takes place after chapter five cuz we thought it'd be funny.

_ The gladiator looks up at her with the shockingly-soft eyes she’d fallen for, confusion and affection and sheer  want  clouding the bright orange, and she leans in for the kiss, a fingernail tracing slow, small circles on her inner thigh and- _

/

Key wakes with a start, flinching…

But, thankfully, she doesn’t wake up whoever is spooning her at the moment, and to her, that’s a win.

“Really gotta cut down on the Morgan LeBlade novels.” She mutters, snuggling back further into the big spoon’s arms.

The very nice, muscular arms… which meant Cymbe.

Which meant morning sex was definitely on the table, which meant…   
  
She presses her ass backwards, gently grinding against her hips as she takes hold of a blue hand and plants a series of quick kisses, one to each knuckle, and-

Blue?

“Vlana?” She mutters, fear rising in her. “Did, did I fuck- no, she’s not this muscular, who’s this blue and this fucking big, I-”   
  
And her brain grinds to a halt as Vel, holy fuck,  _ Vel _ , squeezes her closer.

“Fuck, fuck fuck fuck.” Key mutters, mind racing. “What the fuck happened last night, how did I end up-”   
  
“Chill the fuck out, egghead.” Amisi says, leaning against Vel’s suddenly open door, and Key just shoots her a glare. “I can hear you hyperventilating from all the way in the fuckin’ living room.”   
  
“Fuck off.” Key mutters, glaring… Until an idea strikes, and she looks up at Amisi, pleading as best she could with her eyes alone. “Hey, Amisi, buddy… what did me and Vel do last night?”

“You slept together.” Amisi says, giving her best shit-eating grin and walking out, raising a hand over her shoulder as Key threatens to stormtrance her into the next golden age.

The door swings shut behind her, and she curses… only to have Vel pull her in just a bit tighter, murmuring something soft and she feels a blush creeping onto her face.

/

It all starts coming back to her, the longer she lays there.

The long week in the lab, yelling at Kato, Vel…

Vel coming to get her out of the lab, Amisi’s subtle trickery, being carried to Kato and Vel’s place...

And drifting off in Vel’s arms.

She sighs, already feeling like the world’s biggest jackass, but Vel’s arms squeeze her a little closer as she starts to stir.

“Mrmph?” Vel asks, nuzzling into her back as she sits up. “Y’okay?”

“I’ll be fine.” Key says, pulling away, just a bit. “Just feeling like an ass.”   
  
Vel squeezes her back in, hugging her tight. “Not an ass.” And she yawns, loud and long. “Tired.”   
  
“Yeah, but…” Key starts, shaking her head. “I still need to apologize.”   
  
“Mmm.” Vel murmurs, still not moving. “Stay?”   
  
And Key sighs, gentle, soft… and slightly happy, too. “Yeah.” She says, scooting back further into Vel’s arms and resting her head on the pillow once more. “I’ll stay.”   
  
/

Kato’s watering some of his plants when Key finally walks into the living room, giving him a worried grin, and he responds with a warm smile of his own.

“Sup, Lightning Rod?” He asks, voice as easy as ever, and Key sighs.

“Wanted to… apologize. Y’know.” Key coughs into a hand. “I was a real fuckin’ asshole this week, and you didn’t deserve it, you were just helping, and-”   
  
Kato shakes his head, standing up. “Don’t worry about it. We’ve all did some shitty stuff when we were fresh off an all-nighter. And you did a full week of ‘em.”

“Yeah, but…” She starts, scratching her arm and looking away. “You… you know, you’re one of my closest friends, and I-”

“Key, I love ya and all, but you’re  _ really  _ not my type, so-”

“Oh, fuck off.” Key says, throwing up a hand and scoffing. “Fucking prick. Can’t believe I’m in here trying to apologize to an asshole like you. I could still be cuddling, you know that?”

“Hey, manlet, be nice to her.” Vel complains as she stumbles past the two of them. “Did you guys save any Miso? I’m hungry.”   
  
“Miso?” Key asks, hopeful…

And Kato shakes his head. “‘Fraid not. Amisi finished it off when we figured out you two would be waking up any time soon. Gimme a bit, I can make some dinner, once that lughead stops staring sadly at the fridge.

Vel sticks out her tongue and Key can’t help but chuckle, a small grin finding its way to her face.

She wasn’t sure what she’d done to deserve such good friends, but…

“I love you guys.” She whispers, watching Vel refuse to let Kato look past her into the fridge, leaning on the door and pretending not to know what he wanted.

She’d cherish them as long as she could.


	10. Some Assembly Required

Tarow had moved out of the “family apartment” the second he got the bar running, and honestly Kato couldn’t blame him and he was excited to have a more adult place instead of feeling like his dad was a room over. 

Especially excited cause Vel was often out and about between all her friends and missions, which meant he was going to be home alone most of the time, or well, without family. But mostly what it meant was that they had to refurnish Tarow’s old room to be a guest bedroom for when Abby or Amisi or Key stayed over after long missions or lab nights. 

After a chaotic day of shopping for furniture, which Kato and Vel never wanted to do again between Amisi trolling, Abby being indecisive and Key being distracted the whole time it took them almost four hours to pick out a full sized bed, a desk and a chair. 

Luckily with Vel there the crew kids did not have to worry about carrying back the heavier box, although it lead to some interesting crashes for Key, who walked into the same corner twice when Vel shifted the box on her shoulder. 

One would think three researchers and two guardians could assemble furniture in a simple and timely manner. 

They’d be very wrong. 

Kato and Abby, with brute strength provided by Vel, assembled the bed in a timely enough fashion, a few minor slip ups with screws and an upside down panel, but no big delay to flop onto the mattress and the brand new light blue bedding. 

Amisi, eventually assisted by Vel, built the desk in almost no time, in order to spend the maximum amount of time teasing and making jokes at the rest of the nerds, one more so than others. 

Key. 

Poor Key had misbuilt the simple desk chair not once, not twice but four times in the hour or so everyone else was working. 

“You okay over there Lightning Rod?” Kato laughed at the chair with a backwards leg. “Fry your last brain cell?” Key simply flipped him off and tried to ignore Amisi’s amused laughter. 

“Need some help?” Vel sat down next to Key and shot her a soft smile. 

“I’m good I just…” Key flushed, almost glowing purple. “I need a drink.” The stormcaller quickly got up and ran out of the guest room, making the titan frown in confusion. 

“Did I do something wrong?” 

“Nah, but you should go check on her.” Amisi giggled, earning a nod from Abby. 

“You’d be the best one to talk to her and make sure she’s okay.” 

Vel scratched the back of her neck. 

“Sure I trust y’all.” She strode out of the room, determined to help her friend. Amisi leaned towards the smallest warlock. 

“I broke the AC and Vel is three seconds away from taking her jacket off.” 

“As long as you fix it.” Abby rolled her eyes. “Please fix it we hang out here too much for it to always be this hot.” 

Key was in the kitchen, flushed with heat probably. Vel looked at the vents, man was the AC on? She swore turned it on when they got home… Vel shook her head. Key was standng in the kitchen leaning her head on the counter clutching a glass of water as if it was the only thing grounding her to reality. 

“You okay Key?” She watched the warlock jump, sloshing some water out of the cup. 

“Vel! Yeah yeah I’m fine its just. It’s hot, are you hot, I mean of course you’re hot-cause you’re wearing that hoodie still.” Key took a gulp of her water, and Vel could not blame her, it was freakin hot. 

“Oh yeah you’re right I always forget to take this thing off cause i’m always wearin it.” Vel crossed her arms and lifted off the hoodie, feeling the green tank top underneath also ride up with it for a second. 

There was a clang and a yelp which made Vel hurry out of her hoodie. Key was grasping a now fully empty cup and a soaked white shirt slowly becoming more and more transparent, making Vel look away from the warlock. 

“I can um, give you a shirt to wear. We just have to go to my room.” Vel shuffled over quickly, almost throwing her door off its hinges. 

Amisi hearing the yelp and the door slam poked her head out the door. She was rewarded with an embarrassed Key in the process of taking her shirt off walking into Vel’s room. With a wide smile and a quiet whistle the trickster got the poor girl’s attention. Which immediately was met by a middle finger and a flushed face. 

“Oh this is rich.” Amisi chuckled one last time before going back into the room, shooting Abby a million glimmer grin. 

Meanwhile Vel was trying very hard to find a shirt for Key, specifically one that would not completely swamp the much smaller woman. Hearing Key close the door behind her, Vel doubled down on finding a shirt, not wanting her friend to be shirtless for much longer. Even Vel felt embarrassed with Key exposed like this, her own cheeks flushing and her brain short circuiting more than usual. 

“Here this should fit you okay.” Vel held out an viest tshirt, keeping her head turned away from Key. 

“Thanks a lot Vel, you’re a lifesaver.” She could see Key moving trying to get into her line of sight but she managed to keep her eyes away from the lacey black bra her friend was wearing. 

“No. No problem at all. You could wear my shirts anytime!” Vel wanted to bang her head into a spike, that was the stupidest response she could have given. 

“If all of your shirts are this comfortable I might take you up on that.” Key smiled as the shirt dwarfed her. 

Something in Vel’s chest almost hummed at the sight. Key looked so safe and content, because she was finally in a shirt instead of wet or topless. The titan could feel her face flush. God she had to call the landlord about the AC in this apartment it was not working very well. 

Not looking behind her the flushed Vel almost ran to the new guest room where Amisi was poking Kato with an allen wrench and Abby was sitting in the new office chair. 

“Long ass water break y’all took. Anything special happen?” Amisi blinked weirdly at Key, who flushed again. “And nice shirt, took you for more of an Omolon girl-” 

“Oh I let her barrow it cause she spilt water on her’s.” Vel shrugged. “No big deal really.” 

“Did you see her tattoo?” Amisi laughed as Key’s face got even redder. 

“No, oh but yeah!” Vel snapped her fingers. “You bought me burgers that one time so you could-” 

“When did you buy Vel dinner?” Abby and Kato asked heads tilted in confusion. 

“We ran into each other out in the City one night and got food, nothing too exciting.” 

“I’m surprised you had a wallet left after feeding that lug head.” Kato rolled his eyes. 

“Some people can be nice, not that you’d understand that manlet.” Vel smiled as Key told off her brother. “And umm… We’ll talk about that tattoo at a different time Vel.” 

“Sure thing, y’all wanna go get pizza since we’re done?” 

“Lightning rod is buyin since she didn’t help at all today.” Kato declared as he sprang out of the bed. Vel shrugged cause honestly she couldn’t fight the facts. 

Key’s shoulders deflated a bit so Vel wrapped a hand around her shoulders, giving the far one a small squeeze of support. 

Poor girl was about to go broke between her and Amisi eating for the first time that day. 


	11. Resort Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yall have been waiting for this. Be careful what you wish for

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for maxium feels. listen to https://open.spotify.com/track/1N62wozuHCvczCkY4QidpP?si=0sHSrP2KQ4Oi7eWwYWOQ8A and https://open.spotify.com/track/2kU2uWJ1CrLlhp5SE6wKIH while ya read.

After the whole party… fiasco as Vel would call it things had settled back into a general routine around the Stray’s Stay and its many colorful inhabitants. Vel hung around the science kids a lot, Amisi joining in as her whims desired. 

Then came a day that shattered the routine. 

“Key just ask her I’m tellin you she won’t turn it down!” Kato walked backwards through the door. 

“No way manlet I’ll just go on my own.” Key sounded somewhere between angry and sad and all that did was make Vel confused. 

“Why don’t we, hey Vel!” Abby followed in quickly changing her tone as the three nerds noticed the titan reading a datapad. 

“Hi guys… what’s up?” Vel shot the three a concerned look, prompting Kato to glare at Key, Key to blush, and Abby to look sheepish. 

“You wanna tell her what she was invited to?” Kato raised his eyebrow at the stormtrancer. “Cause I will and it won’t be as nice as you want it to b-” 

“Fine fine. So hey Vel,” Key coughed. “So at the party remember how there was that Dead Orbit representative we ate with?” 

“Yeah the umm.. Curses or somethin.” 

“Curavas, they said they’d support my research because-” 

“Of the implications of your arc capacitors storing electricity up to four times longer than current model ship parts yeah.” The three looked at her a bit surprised. “I didn’t understand the kiss up part and the details but I got the general idea.” 

“Yeah, I just didn’t think you were paying attention.” Key blushed a bit more as Vel frowned, was it that hard for people to think she did pay attention to her friend’s work. “But they invited you and me to a retreat to talk about the grant and research more.” 

“Wait why’d they invite me?” Abby shot Vel a look she couldn’t read. 

“They invited you because they wanted her to bring her ‘charming and space savvy partner’ to the retreat.” Kato rolled his eyes. “Somethin about y’all being cute while dancing.” 

Vel blushed as she remembered the party, and the dance, and the later realizations. 

“So they want both of us to go?” Vel asked gulping a bit nervously. 

“Yeah its a retreat for a lot of the higher up members of Dead Orbit, but you don’t have to go if y-”   
“Will it help you with your grant?” Vel swallowed her fear, she had to help her friends anyway she could, crush or not. 

“Probably with how specific they were with mentioning you lughead.” Kato piped up as Key froze. 

“Then I’ll go. It's a free vacation with my friend what’s to lose!” Vel sounded confident but she could feel the plan in her head crumbling and she hadn’t even packed yet. 

A few hours and a lot of pacing later Vel and Key stepped off their ships. Vel was wearing her hoodie and some dark basketball shorts looking around nervously with her duffle bag of clothing. 

In Vel’s both relatively short and long life as a guardian she never had a vacation like this before. She had gone camping in the relaxing way, visited planets to relax, but a resort like this place? With its giant hotel, crisp white beaches, palm trees and well maintained grounds… this was rich people territory. 

Vel gulped as she followed behind Key who looked like she owned the place, all confidence and comfort. Scuffed sneakers and sharp heels clacked across marble floors that were so polished she could almost see her own reflection perfectly as she kept her head down. 

“Thought this was a beach vacation...” Vel mumbled as Key talked to a receptionist. 

“It’s a beach resort, I’m sorry I should’ve warned you about it.” Key sounded genuinely apologetic which made Vel feel a little worse. 

“Nah not your fault, it’s just… not my kinda place. Used to stuff like the bar that’s kinda… scrappy.” 

“Don’t worry about impressing people, you’re here to relax.” Key shot Vel a smile and the titan felt her heart skip a beat. “And we’re here to have fun don’t forget that.” 

As she said that Key opened the door to their room, revealing soft carpets, a beautiful ocean view and a single bed. 

_ “Oh no…” _ Vel felt her brain break. 

Putting her bag down on a chair Vel immediately turned on her heel and started walking out of the room. 

“If we’re supposed to relax I think I’m gonna go check out the beach. Don’t worry about waitin up on me-”   
“Oh hold on the water looked really good, just let me change into my bikini and I’ll be right down?” Key looked back to where the titan had been but the room was empty.

Vel had ran at almost “titan skating” speeds away from the room, her face flushed and mind racing. Feeling overwhelmed and anxious the titan never stopped her jog to the water. She kicked her shoes off, throwing her socks and hoodie onto the sand in a pile before jumping and lightly thundercrashing into the water. 

The crash of her “cannonball” echoed across the beach but Vel couldn’t be moved to care. The sudden chill of the water quieted her mind, and as she floated below the surface she could feel the anxiety lift off her shoulders. The gentle tug and pull of the current rocked her hair out of its usual tight bun and she could feel it tickling her arm and back. She’d fix it when she got out of the water, for now she wanted to enjoy the comfort and silence of the water.

_ “Hey boss Key is worried about you can you pop up?” _Lil Dude’s voice cut through her empty mind and with an exhaled sigh Vel kicked her way back to the surface, slowly and steadily making her way back to shore.

“I promise you she’s okay just needed a minute to enjoy the water, she does this occassionally on titan so at least this time she’s not a few hundred feet below.” Lil Dude tried to make it a joke but even Vel could feel the worry radiating off the warlock. 

“I’m fine, don't worry. I just felt very… outta place and needed a second.” Vel shrugged and pulled her hair into a ponytail, too lazy to redo the complex bun. Hair finally out of her face and eyes Vel looked up and immediately wanted to jump back into the water.

Key was, stunning was the best way she could describe it. Vel felt her brain stop again as the other woman took of a black shawl to reveal a somewhat modest black and pink bikini, a hint of black ink peaking out on her thigh. 

“You sure you’re okay Vel?” Key looked genuinely concerned at how Vel was completely still for what was probably one of the first times the stormtrancer had ever seen. 

“Yeah I’m okay. Very okay. I just. I gotta go.” Vel grabbed her hoodie, forgetting her shoes and socks, quickly down the beach further away from the hotel. 

“Are you… are you sure she’s okay?” 

“I was, but I am just as lost as you.” Both ghost and guardian tilted their heads in confusion. 

Vel managed to stay away from the resort up until dinnertime, spending her time sulking on a secluded cliff a mile or two down the beach. Talking herself through the unfairness of having such attractive friends and how stupid she was. When the sun finally set she stood up and made her way back to the room like a child trying to sneak into a house. 

The room was empty when she finally worked up the courage to enter earning the titan a sigh of relief. Until she spotted a small note on the dresser they had to share. 

“Ran into Beatrice and Riptide on my way to dinner, just please make sure you eat. -Key. P.S You know you can talk to me about anything right?”   
All the relief turned into guilt and shame. Quickly swapping to clean jeans and a tshirt Vel flopped on half of the bed. It was comfy and soft, something she could easily sleep on but she didn’t want to make Key uncomfort-. 

She sat up quickly, there was an insomniac hunter that could solve a bunch of her problems. On her way out the door she noticed the sneakers she had left on the beach nicely placed in the corner, and her heart dropped a little more. 

The door closed on an empty room and Vel steeled herself to find Riptide. She almost jogged through the main lobby but dove behind a couch as she saw Beatrice and Key walk outside talking intensely, probably something warlock related. Vel swore Beatrice shot her a look but they didn’t stop so Vel went to the bar. Riptide was probably already in there missing her girlfriend, or wife, they kept going back and forth on the titles. 

As predicted the hunter was slightly deflated at the bar nursing a beer. 

“Hey Riptide, didn’t expect to see you here.” Vel smiled, a little weak and tired, waving down the bartender for a water. 

“I didn’t either, especially since its a couple’s retreat.” Riptide took a sip of her beer and watched Vel almost choke. 

“It's a what now?” Vel’s face flushed, this was bad. 

“Yeah everything planned is like a couples thing. Massages, scuba diving, dancing, dinners, today was free reign cause everyone was showin up. Pretty tight schedule tomorrow though.” Riptide still faced forward just watching out of the corner of her eye. 

“I wasn’t told about that. They just told me I was invited too and it’d help Key get her grant.” 

“Well now ya know kid. So what’s up? You don’t usually hang out with me.” 

“Key was out by the time I got back and I saw the note that you guys were here. Saw Beatrice walkin out so I figured you were already startin to mope.” 

“Rude ass punk. So why aren’t you with your partner for the trip?” There was an edge to Riptide’s voice, probably from the jab about missing Beatrice. 

“I kinda panicked about how outta place I feel and needed to be alone for a while.” The lie already felt weak, and the quirked eyebrow only made it feel weaker. 

“I get that kid. Sometimes the easiest way to deal with somethin is to not be alone though. You’re gonna be here for four days with Key, and I mean four days, there’s barely gonna be a moment where you guys won’t be near each other with how this is planned out.” Riptide finally turned to look Vel in the eye. “Be honest with her about what’s goin on or you’re just gonna be upset the whole trip and that’ll upset Key. If you care about her, just talk to her.” 

“I…” Vel sighed. “You’re right, I just don’t know how to talk about this stuff. Everything gets stuck and sounds stupid whenever I try to explain it.” 

“She’s a scientist kid, she can figure it out. Have faith.” There was a beep from the hunter’s datapad, who simply smiled. “Speakin of partners mine is done talkin to… her associate. I’ll see ya tomorrow kid.” The hunter chugged the rest of her beer before walking out like an eager puppy. 

Vel nodded and sat at the bar for a little longer, going over the advice Riptide had given her. 

Being honest with Key, about her feelings and how afraid she was felt terrifying quite honestly. She was supposed to be here to support Key, not to make things awkward by confessing her feelings. Dropping her head onto the bar she groaned, the turbulent thoughts rushing around once again. 

Pushing off the bar she walked outside with purpose. 

A quick gaze showed that Key and Beatrice were nowhere to be seen, and Vel broke into a dead sprint. She pushed her body farther and faster until there was nothing in her head but the tempo of her breathing and the pounding of her heart. 

At the end of her run she was back at the cliff she had sat at earlier, and she could see the sun rising in the distance. Unintentionally she had spent the entire night out running her thoughts, and she could hear the sounds of staff and people going about their mornings. 

Sweat slicked her clothes and her sneakers were covered in mud and dirt. Embarrassment and guilt gnawed at her as she walked through the lobby and back to their room, Key had already left for breakfast she supposed. Vel thanked everything in the universe as she quickly took a shower and changed into another pair of jeans, a tank top, and a flannel. Silent shame was still around her when she finally came downstairs and was sat next to Key for breakfast. 

Key was almost done eating, looking tired and upset, and Vel couldn’t blame her. She was being a shitty friend by putting her own feelings above Key’s. This trip was for Key, she was here to make things easier for the researcher, not more difficult. 

“You must be Vel!” Vel almost jumped, not registering the older gentlemen sat at the table across from them. “Ms. Key was telling us all about you, an astrophysicist?” 

“Oh yeah, its more of a hobby than a career path. As a guardian who propels herself in a very meteor like manner astrophysics felt like something I could relate to but on a much grander scale.” Vel sat down gently eating her plate of fruit as the older couple made small talk with the young women. 

Feeling the tension next to her Vel out of habit reached over and squeezed Key’s knee. The warlock almost jumped in alarm but simply shot her a look. All Vel could do was smile softly and hope her apology got across.

“Ah yes young love, I quite remember when we were like that Antonio.” One of the men stood up. “We’ll leave you two to enjoy your breakfast, thank you for entertaining us old men.” 

Faces flushed both of the guardians stammered out replies, none of which were coherent, to the older gentlemen who left. 

“We are-” Key sighed as the men walked away before looking at the titan.

“I’m sorry about bein out all night, I kinda went for a run and lost track of time.” For the first time this trip she wasn’t lying, which lifted a weight of her chest.

“Are you sure you want to be here?” Key’s voice was harder than she was used to and all the guilt crashed back into her like a drake being airdropped. “You can leave if you don’t want to be here, I wouldn’t blame you.” 

“No I..” 

“Vel, I just need to know are you going to be here or not?” Key’s eyes were green, but Vel could see the storm of energy and emotion behind them as they locked eyes. 

“I want to be here for you.” The titan deflated and shrank on herself under the glare of the warlock. 

“Then be here.” With that Key stood up and strode out of the room leaving a dumbstruck Vel alone with her thoughts. 

After a bit Vel walked to the room mostly on autopilot at this point. She sat on the plush chair facing out the window, pulling her knees up to her chest. She wasn’t quite sure how long she stared at the ocean trying to find answers somewhere on the horizon. She watched the sun rise above the ocean and then disappear over the hotel. She watched a group of people mingle on the beach, her brain refusing to comprehend what that meant. 

Sometime later she heard the door open with a deep sigh but couldn’t react. 

“I’m surprised you’re still here I thought you would’ve ran off by now.” The anger, rightly placed and justified stung and Vel flinched as it cut deep, curling in on herself a bit tighter. 

“That… that was uncalled for.” Key’s voice was soft, as if talking to a person on a ledge. 

“No you’re right.” Vel mumbled still not looking at Key. 

“You’re my friend and that was cruel.” 

“I’m not a very good friend.” Vel looked down. “I’m really not.” 

“Vel please just tell me, what’s wrong?” This had to be the thing Riptide was talking about right? Honesty, for better or worse, was the best policy. 

“I dunno how to really explain it.” Vel felt Key gently cup her face, and she was finally forced to look into green eyes. There were dark bags around Key’s eyes, probably from staying up all night worrying about her, and they were a bit puffy, and suddenly the titan was hit with a tsunami of guilt at the mere idea that Key cried because of her. 

“Can you please try?” 

“Yeah I just. Everythin I say to you feels wrong.” Vel shook her head. “Like it ain’t good enough. My brain just shuts off and I feel so stupid when I know I’m more articulate than that.” 

“Vel you’re always good enough.” Key sat on the arm of the chair and looked deep in her eyes. “You’re the best friend I ever could’ve asked for.” Those green eyes were looking for something, Vel could tell so she mustered up what little strength she had. 

“I’m… I’m glad you think so.” Vel tried to smile but inside she could feel her heart shatter, the guilt and anxiety falling away into some other emotion that just made her feel heavy. “All I want is to be a good enough friend for you.” She felt her body start to shake, overwhelmed by emotions, orange eyes began to water. 

“Vel you’re always enough.” There was something in Key’s voice that was different, softer, full of an emotion she couldn’t place. “You’ve always been enough lughead.” 

Her brain exploded as a soft hand turned her face and even softer lips met hers. Vel’s eyes fluttered closed and the weight lifted. As Key pulled back Vel leaned forward trying to follow for a second. Then as realization struck she froze, eyes closed, a silent prayer going through her mind that she wasn’t dreaming. 

Key on the other hand was terrified as Vel sat there; eyes completely closed, body unmoving. 

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have done that!” Key started to stand up when a hand gently rested on her own crystalline one. 

“I dunno what I’m supposed to say to that.” Vel still had her eyes closed, her brain moving slower than anything she had ever experienced. The titan could feel the arm tense and start to pull away. “So I’m gonna be blunt…” Finally orange eyes opened and Vel tried her best to share all of her feelings in one look. “Can we do that again?” 

The only answer she got was a soft laugh. 

  
Riptide and Beatrice looked around the restaurant the next morning. The information each of them had gathered did not paint a great picture. Key was upset with Vel’s sudden avoidance, Vel was bothered by something and apparently could not have an honest conversation with the warlock. 

Key had looked so heartbroken at the mixer, standing there alone explaining that her partner, both of them noticed her flinch whenever she said that word, was not feeling well and could not join. So when there was the lunch break that Key had never come back from the two came to the logical conclusion. Vel had actually left and Key was probably sad about it. 

So when the next morning they saw the titan looking happy and excited, alone at her assigned table talking merrily with two gentlemen, it was very hard for the two to reign in their anger as they walked over. 

Riptide, always slightly more vigilant than her lover, however noticed Key walking to the table also looking happy and pulled Beatrice back a little, slowing their matched pace. 

“Babe I think they made up.” Both of them looked confused at the two younger women. Key with a goofy smile quickly pecked Vel on the lips and Riptide almost laughed out loud. Shoving her face into Beatrice’s shoulder she muffled her laughter, watching the two hold hands under the table and Key lean into Vel’s shoulder. 

“I think perhaps they did more.” Riptide raised an eyebrow. “They _ were _ gone for the entire evening. They didn’t even come to dinner.” 

“Nooo, not Vel she’s a kid.” 

“She’s a guardian, a love struck one if that grin is anything to go by.” 

“You usually have the same grin whenever I’m around.” Riptide guided Beatrice out of the restaurant, making a mental note to tease the young couple later. 

“That is because I am a very love struck guardian.” Beatrice kissed Riptide gently. “Now let the kids have fun for now, you can make fun of them at dinner.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there they did it. they have a singular brain cell between them now


	12. Extinguish

_All the good fireteams had to die sometimes._

“Get Mako back up!” Tanya yells, firing off a burst at the thralls rushing them. “We need her bubble!”

_Key knew that. The history books were filled with dead heroes, not anecdotes on who was still around._

“I’m trying!” Abby yells, a note of panic in her voice. “There’s too many of them!”

_At least they’d make history._

“Illios, Vel! We have to try and buy time!”

Vel nods, resignation clear on her face…

And then a bubble surrounds them. It’s flickering, barely even there, but it’s enough to buy them a bit of time, and for Key to make her decision.

“Yeah, thank me later, no biggie.” Mako mutters, holding a wound on her stomach and staring out of the bubble. 

“You did amazing, Mako.” Abby says, reaching down to squeeze her shoulder.

“You did good.” Tanya agrees, nodding. “Now…” She jerks her head towards the still-growing hoard of thralls. “How long do we have to regroup before we fight our way out of here?”

“Twenty seconds.” Mako groans, sitting up. “Maybe twenty-five, if I push it.”

“Can we even fight our way out?” Abby asks, going a bit pale at the sheer number of thralls.

“Of course we can. You’ve seen me fight.” Mako says… but even her usual bluster rings hollow.

Vel just stares out at the thralls, not saying a word… And Key swallows as Illios places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry.” Key says, her mouth almost seeming to move on it’s own as she steps forward, swallowing. “Hey, Vel?”

Vel turns, still silent,and Key grabs her, pulling her close and dipping her… as much as she can, anyway.

She puts everything she can into the kiss, all her fear and her love and the passion and the resignation, and Vel…

Vel kisses back, her own mix of emotion coming through as both literal and metaphorical sparks start to swirl between them…

Before convalescing around Key’s left arm and seeming to press inward, surging towards the crystal buried in it.  
  
She pulls back, eyes locked on the thralls waiting outside the flickering fortress of light, and she nods.

“I’ve got this.” She says, shooting Abby a reassuring smile… even as her arm starts to _burn_, the bubble smelling of a storm. “Just stay behind me.”

And she steps outside of the bubble, the thralls pressing in…

And her arm exploding as she lets it all go.

/

“Never thought I’d respect one of the eggheads that much.” Mako says from somewhere to her right.

“Hush.” Abby replies, almost sounding… worried? “I think she’s coming to.”

Key feels herself be raised, and she forces her eyes open… only to meet warm, worried, _familiar _orange.

“Key?” Vel asks, quiet, and she nods up at her.

“Everyone alright?” She asks, feeling her eyelids start to get a little heavier.

“Yeah. Everyone’s okay.” Vel murmurs, hugging her close. “But your arm…”

_Thirty-three percent increase in size, twenty percent increase in passive generation. _Artemis whispers in her mind, and her heart starts to fall…

Only to be buoyed as Vel kisses her, just a little peck… 

But enough to remind her that she’s not alone.

“Guess this means we get to research it all over again!” She chirps, actual cheer finding its way into her voice. “Yeah, Abby?”

“Yeah!” Abby cheers, and there’s a quiet sigh from Mako.

“I’ll never understand you eggheads…”


	13. Stormy Starts

Even after everything, getting Key out of the lab was an endeavor some days. Kato groaned as he returned to the lab early one morning, hearing the bass of classical music vibrate through the wall, for the fourth day in a row, nonstop. The awoken man walked over to the coffee pot and started a fresh batch. 

“So she’s been in there forever again.” Abby walked out into the common area from her own lab. “Tried to have her join me for dinner last night but I didn’t get a response.” 

“God I thought she’d be less like this all things considerin.” Kato shook his head. “Do we go for the big guns first or start nice?” 

“Are you calling Amisi the big guns or your sister the big guns?” Abby shook her head. “Just call Vel.” 

“Fine, fine.” 

  
  
Vel was havin a nice day, she just got back from a three mission with Virtue and Tarow, the old folk spent more time talking to her than killing stuff but it was a nice change of pace. She usually spent more time around the younger guardians but there was always somethin to learn from the dinosaur and Tarow was as close of a father figure as she ever was gonna have. It was more about bonding than pushing cabal away from the EDZ despite the two years of losses the Red Legion had taken. 

Leaning back on the couch, Vel kicked her feet up and threw on a crucible channel. 

“We are here today with our newest up and coming Crucible hotshot Ma-”  _ Ring! Ring!  _

Vel frowned as she pulled out her communicator, seeing a call from Abby. 

“Hey Abby what’s up?” 

“LUGHEAD!” Kato yelled through the mic. 

“Be nice. Hey Vel we kinda need your help.” 

“Come pick up your girlfriend before I bass boost her through the fuckin wall.” Vel could hear Abby smack her brother. “She’s been in her lab working nonstop for like four days.” That news brought a frown to titan’s face. 

“She’s not my girlfriend but I’ll be there in 10.” 

“Thanks Vel!” 

“Take care of your girl lughead.” Kato hung up before Vel could protest. 

When Vel casually strolled to the labs it took her around thirty minutes to get to there, but as she carved a path through the city, a streak of arc, purple and black almost flying through the city at a pace only possible through the Light, she made it in just over five. 

The security, quite used to Vel coming in with food calmly and politely, were unprepared for the storm of a woman who came through the door. The two receptionists were left scratching their heads as Vel vaulted over the security counter and into the Nerd Lab(as it was deemed by Amisi). 

The titan skidded into the communal kitchen, panting and sweating. 

“That was… record time…” Kato mumbled. “Now go get ‘em lughead.” Abby shot Vel a thumbs up. 

A few “light” knocks on the door were drowned out by the vibration of the music. Frowning Vel knocked a bit harder, still not breaking through the sound of the music. 

“Hey Kato, I owe you guys a door.” Vel said, only getting a confused “huh?” before an arc covered fist drove the top of the metal door into the ground. Crushed metal sparking in a small pile just inside the lab. 

“Guys what the literal fuc-” Key was a different kind of beautiful when working, her hair was frazzled, baggy clothes stained and burnt in different spots. It was Key relaxed, comfortable and in her element. “Vel?”   
  
“Hey…” Vel rubbed the back of her neck. “They said you’ve been here for days and you weren’t answering the door....” Orange eyes looked at the broken hunk of metal. They really needed a doorbell or something on Key’s lab. 

“I haven’t been in here for…” Key checked her datapad calendar. “Not again.”

Vel grabbed Key’s hands and caught the warlock's eyes. 

“Hey it’s fine, we just got worried about you.” Vel smiled softly. “I got worried about you.” Key stepped forward and hugged the titan, enjoying the strength and comfort Vel brought. 

“I made a breakthrough and was riding that high.” Key mumbled in Vel’s shoulder. “Didn’t mean to worry you guys again.” 

“HEY LOVE BIRDS GO THE FUCK HOME.” Kato yelled from outside the door, Abby shoving him away with a powered melee. 

“Ignore him. Take your time, log everything, make sure everything is safe, and also you might wanna do something about that…” Abby pointed at the crystal on Key’s arm currently full of pulsing arc energy. 

“Shit.” Key swore under her breath as she finally felt the painful build up

Vel unwrapped herself from the hug and gently massaged the muscles around the crystal. 

“You go change and I know a good place for you to vent it in the EDZ, I’ll grab food and we can go eat out there.” Vel kissed Key’s forehead. “Meet up in 10?” 

After Key nodded Vel placed one more soft kiss to her lips before heading home, a dopey grin on her face. 

“You know Vel, it’ll be about 20 minutes before sunset by the time you both get to the spot you like.” Lil Dude chimed in. “You’ve been waiting for a good moment to ask her out, this might be it.” 

“It….” Vel stopped herself and thought about it for a moment. “You’re right. Oh god Lil Dude we got so much work to do.”  
  
For 8 minutes Vel ran to what seemed like dozens of shops, abusing her light powers in order to rocket herself from one place to another. As she stumbled into the hangar, a bag full of take out carefully cradled in her arms. 

“Guess you swept me off my feet.” Vel chuckled slightly embarrassed. “Just follow us nd we’ll take you to a spot where you can let loose.” 

“Right behind you.” Key winked as she entered her ship. 

“Okay LD lets do this.” Vel gently headbutted her ghost as she jumped into her ship.

  
  
The flight wasn’t very long and the entire time Vel was nothing more than a pile of excited anxiety, so by the time they dropped onto a small rocky clearing Vel’s energy caused sparks of arc energy to crackle over her skin. 

“So where are we?” Key asked looking around. There were rocks that cracked, fallen and burnt trees, and the signs of young growth. 

“This is where I used to go when I tried to work on my arc stuff alone. Met Vlana out here for the first time too.” Vel pointed to a boulder with a large crack in it. “Slammed her right into that one.” 

“She probably really appreciated it.” Key smiled as Vel looked embarrassed. 

“Threw a knife right into my forehead for it. Real good first meeting, but I know no one is out here but us this time. Go nuts.” Vel grabbed Key’s hand and placed one sparking kiss to the back of it, a grin on her face as the crystal pulsed just a bit more. 

“You’re a dork.” Key rolled her eyes as she stepped away from the titan. 

Vel watched in awe once again as Key performed the most powerful stormtrance she had ever seen.   
  
Minutes later there was more exploded trees and shattered boulders, the ground underneath Key was scorched and the smell of ozone lingering around the clearing. 

Vel walked up behind Key, pulling the tired warlock into a bridal carry and started heading down a path.

“Feel better?” 

“Loads, thanks for that Vel.” Key snuggled into Vel’s chest, and Vel could feel the tension leaving the smaller woman’s body. 

“Anything for ya.” 

Vel walked carefully, making sure to not jostle Key or have to move her too much. The sun began to set, casting the sky into soft oranges and hints of purple. As the two neared a soft creek Vel set Key down with minimal pouting. 

“Hey Key, before we eat can I ask you something?” Vel’s throat was dry, and she tried her best to hide her anxiety and the sparks it wanted to cause. 

“Sure?” The warlock looked confused and a bit worried. 

For a minute Vel just stood there, gathering her thoughts, she had a plan, she just needed to follow it through. 

So Vel kneeled down on one knee. 

“Hey Key, will you go ou-” Vel laughed as lightning struck the ground underneath Key. 

Floating just above the ground Key wandered through the treeline and Vel could hear the explosions as the warlock released the surge of energy. 

A few seconds later Key returned, much less tired and a bit flushed. 

“Can you say that again?” Vel giggled and smiled widely. 

“Key, will you go out with me and be my girlfriend?” The only answer she got was the warlock pulling the front of her shirt for a kiss. “That’s a yes right?” Vel’s eyes were still closed but she could feel Key smile. 

“Of course it is you dork.” 

“Sweet.” Vel rested her forehead on Key’s. “I have this absolutely amazing new girlfriend.” 

“So do I.” 

Surrounded by the setting sun and the scenery of the European Dead Zone the two enjoying the official start of their relationship. 


End file.
